The Member of Parliament for the Abuakwa South Constituency and Minister of Works and Housing, Hon. Samuel Atta Akyea has decried the recent spate of secrete recording that seem to have characterized the Ghanaian society which has made it difficult to have confidential engagements.

He revealed that, it has become a daily trend to wake up to the news of leakage of secrete recording one way or the other, and that has assumed alarming proportions.

Lamenting on the rising phenomenon, the Honorable Member, who is also an astute lawyer narrated how he has been a victim when he was secretly recorded during a personal confidential discussion with a client some time ago, which became a raw material for a radio station to the extent of even calling for his prosecution on treason; “imagine having serious confidential engagement with someone and being secretly recorded” he wondered.

He wondered whether people have not come to terms with Article 18(2) of the Constitution.

He is of the view that, if you have broad outlines of laws in the constitution, it is important that we have legislation on the back of those provisions in order to forestall scenarios like what we are witnessing now.

Speaking on the Floor of Parliament in contribution to a statement made by the Deputy Minister for Works and Housing and Member of Parliament for Subin Constituency, Hon. Eugine Boakye Antwi, Hon Atta Akyea suggested that as a country, we should have a serious punishment regime so that abusers will suffer the results of their actions, and also serve as a deterrent to potential offenders.

He also warned that if care is not taken, there could be a time that someone can secretly record confidential Cabinet meetings and circulate it in the public; screaming “so are we saying that people should not have romance on the phone anymore?

The Hon. Eugine Boakye Antwi in presenting his statement earlier based his plea on the provisions of Article 18(2) of the 1992 Constitution which states that “no person shall be subject to interference with the privacy of his home, property, correspondence or communication except in accordance with law and as may be necessary in a free and democratic society for public safety or the economic wellbeing of the country.

He indicated that, “there is a rising incidence of unacceptable sexual or pornographic material finding its way into our social media space, defiling the rights so some of the parties involved”.

He admitted there are laws on pornography in this country, but wondered how many of offenders have been arrested.

He insisted that, as we build our democracy and find ways of defending our rights under the Constitution, it is important that these matters are dealt with, and dealt with urgently.

 

Exclusively Newslinegh